Isotopes Have Different Numbers Of



The atoms of different phosphorus isotopes. Have different numbers of neutrons. A(n) refers to two or more atoms held together by covalent bonds. A(n) bond joins these two oxygen atoms. Double covalent. Atoms with the same number of protons but with different. But it is the other way around. He figured that the things that are chemically similar, but have different neutrons should be called something, and called them isotopes. He is the one who coined the term. $endgroup$ – Ivan Neretin Nov 14 '20 at 0:07.

  1. All isotopes of a given element have the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons in each atom. 1 The term isotope is formed from the Greek roots isos ( ἴσος 'equal') and topos ( τόπος 'place'), meaning 'the same place'; thus, the meaning behind the name is that different isotopes of a single element occupy the same.
  2. Isotopes are atoms of the same element that: a. Have different numbers of electrons.

Learning Objectives

  • Define and differentiate between the atomic number and the mass number of an element.
  • Explain how isotopes differ from one another.

Now that we know how atoms are generally constructed, what do atoms of any particular element look like? How many protons, neutrons, and electrons are in a specific kind of atom? First, if an atom is electrically neutral overall, then the number of protons equals the number of electrons. Because these particles have the same but opposite charges, equal numbers cancel out, producing a neutral atom.

Atomic Number

In the 1910s, experiments with x-rays led to this useful conclusion: the magnitude of the positive charge in the nucleus of every atom of a particular element is the same. In other words, all atoms of the same element have the same number of protons. Furthermore, different elements have a different number of protons in their nuclei, so the number of protons in the nucleus of an atom is characteristic of a particular element. This discovery was so important to our understanding of atoms that the number of protons in the nucleus of an atom is called the atomic number (Z).

For example, hydrogen has the atomic number 1; all hydrogen atoms have 1 proton in their nuclei. Helium has the atomic number 2; all helium atoms have 2 protons in their nuclei. There is no such thing as a hydrogen atom with 2 protons in its nucleus; a nucleus with 2 protons would be a helium atom. The atomic number defines an element. Table (PageIndex{1}) lists some common elements and their atomic numbers. Based on its atomic number, you can determine the number of protons in the nucleus of an atom. The largest atoms have over 100 protons in their nuclei.

Table (PageIndex{1}): Some Common Elements and Their Atomic Numbers
ElementAtomic NumberElementAtomic Nmbers
aluminum (Al)13magnesium (Mg)12
americium (Am)95manganese (Mn)25
argon (Ar)18mercury (Hg)80
barium (Ba)56neon (Ne)10
beryllium (Be)4nickel (Ni)28
bromine (Br)35nitrogen (N)7
calcium (Ca)20oxygen (O)8
carbon (C)6phosphorus (P)15
chlorine (Cl)17platinum (Pt)78
chromium (Cr)24potassium (K)19
cesium (Cs)55radon (Rn)86
fluorine (F)9silver (Ag)47
gallium (Ga)31sodium (Na)11
gold (Au)79strontium (Sr)38
helium (He)2sulfur (S)16
hydrogen (H)1titanium (Ti)22
iron (Fe)26tungsten (W)74
iodine (I)53uranium (U)92
lead (Pb)82zinc (Zn)30
lithium (Li)3zirconium (Zr)40

Example (PageIndex{1})

What is the number of protons in the nucleus of each element?

  1. aluminum
  2. iron
  3. carbon
Answer a

According to Table 2.4.1, aluminum has an atomic number of 13. Therefore, every aluminum atom has 13 protons in its nucleus.

Answer b

Iron has an atomic number of 26. Therefore, every iron atom has 26 protons in its nucleus.

Answer c

Isotopes Have Different Numbers Of __ Thus They Also Have Different __

Carbon has an atomic number of 6. Therefore, every carbon atom has 6 protons in its nucleus.

Numbers

Exercise (PageIndex{1})

What is the number of protons in the nucleus of each element? Use Table 2.4.1.

  1. sodium
  2. oxygen
  3. chlorine
Answer a

Sodium has 11 protons in its nucleus.

Answer b

Oxygen has 8 protons in its nucleus.

Answer c

Chlorine has 17 protons in its nucleus

How many electrons are in an atom? Previously we said that for an electrically neutral atom, the number of electrons equals the number of protons, so the total opposite charges cancel. Thus, the atomic number of an element also gives the number of electrons in an atom of that element. (Later we will find that some elements may gain or lose electrons from their atoms, so those atoms will no longer be electrically neutral. Thus we will need a way to differentiate the number of electrons for those elements.)

Example (PageIndex{2})

How many electrons are present in the atoms of each element?

Isotopes have different numbers of protons
  1. sulfur
  2. tungsten
  3. argon
Answer a

The atomic number of sulfur is 16. Therefore, in a neutral atom of sulfur, there are 16 electrons.

Answer b

The atomic number of tungsten is 74. Therefore, in a neutral atom of tungsten, there are 74 electrons.

Answer c

The atomic number of argon is 18. Therefore, in a neutral atom of argon, there are 18 electrons.

Exercise (PageIndex{2})

How many electrons are present in the atoms of each element?

  1. magnesium
  2. potassium
  3. iodine
Answer a

Mg has 12 electrons.

Answer b

K has 19 electrons.

Answer c

I has 53 electrons.

Isotopes

How many neutrons are in atoms of a particular element? At first it was thought that the number of neutrons in a nucleus was also characteristic of an element. However, it was found that atoms of the same element can have different numbers of neutrons. Atoms of the same element (i.e., same atomic number, Z) that have different numbers of neutrons are called isotopes. For example, 99% of the carbon atoms on Earth have 6 neutrons and 6 protons in their nuclei; about 1% of the carbon atoms have 7 neutrons in their nuclei. Naturally occurring carbon on Earth, therefore, is actually a mixture of isotopes, albeit a mixture that is 99% carbon with 6 neutrons in each nucleus.

An important series of isotopes is found with hydrogen atoms. Most hydrogen atoms have a nucleus with only a single proton. About 1 in 10,000 hydrogen nuclei, however, also has a neutron; this particular isotope is called deuterium. An extremely rare hydrogen isotope, tritium, has 1 proton and 2 neutrons in its nucleus. Figure (PageIndex{1}) compares the three isotopes of hydrogen.

The discovery of isotopes required a minor change in Dalton’s atomic theory. Dalton thought that all atoms of the same element were exactly the same.

Most elements exist as mixtures of isotopes. In fact, there are currently over 3,500 isotopes known for all the elements. When scientists discuss individual isotopes, they need an efficient way to specify the number of neutrons in any particular nucleus. The mass number (A) of an atom is the sum of the numbers of protons and neutrons in the nucleus. Given the mass number for a nucleus (and knowing the atomic number of that particular atom), you can determine the number of neutrons by subtracting the atomic number from the mass number.

Kids

A simple way of indicating the mass number of a particular isotope is to list it as a superscript on the left side of an element’s symbol. Atomic numbers are often listed as a subscript on the left side of an element’s symbol. Thus, we might see

[mathrm{^{mass: numberxrightarrow{hspace{45px}} 56}_{atomic: number xrightarrow{hspace{35px}} 26}Fe} label{Eq1}]

which indicates a particular isotope of iron. The 26 is the atomic number (which is the same for all iron atoms), while the 56 is the mass number of the isotope. To determine the number of neutrons in this isotope, we subtract 26 from 56: 56 − 26 = 30, so there are 30 neutrons in this atom.

Example (PageIndex{3})

How many protons and neutrons are in each atom?

  1. (mathrm{^{35}_{17}Cl})
  2. (mathrm{^{127}_{53}I})
Answer a

In (mathrm{^{35}_{17}Cl}) there are 17 protons, and 35 − 17 = 18 neutrons in each nucleus.

Answer b

In (mathrm{^{127}_{53}I}) there are 53 protons, and 127 − 53 = 74 neutrons in each nucleus.

Exercise (PageIndex{3})

Isotopes Have Different Numbers Of

How many protons and neutrons are in each atom?

  1. (mathrm{^{197}_{79}Au})
  2. (mathrm{^{23}_{11}Na})
Answer a

In (mathrm{^{197}_{79}Au}) there are 79 protons, and 197 − 79 = 118 neutrons in each nucleus.

Answer b

In (mathrm{^{23}_{11}Na}) there are 11 protons, and 23 − 11 = 12 neutrons in each nucleus.

It is not absolutely necessary to indicate the atomic number as a subscript because each element has its own unique atomic number. Many isotopes are indicated with a superscript only, such as 13C or 235U. You may also see isotopes represented in print as, for example, carbon-13 or uranium-235.

Summary

The atom consists of discrete particles that govern its chemical and physical behavior. Each atom of an element contains the same number of protons, which is the atomic number (Z). Neutral atoms have the same number of electrons and protons. Atoms of an element that contain different numbers of neutrons are called isotopes. Each isotope of a given element has the same atomic number but a different mass number (A), which is the sum of the numbers of protons and neutrons.

Almost all of the mass of an atom is from the total protons and neutrons contained within a tiny (and therefore very dense) nucleus. The majority of the volume of an atom is the surrounding space in which the electrons reside. A representation of a carbon-12 atom is shown below in Figure (PageIndex{2}).

Concept Review Exercises

  1. Why is the atomic number so important to the identity of an atom?
  2. What is the relationship between the number of protons and the number of electrons in an atom?
  3. How do isotopes of an element differ from each other?
  4. What is the mass number of an element?

Answers

  1. The atomic number defines the identity of an element. It describes the number of protons in the nucleus.
  2. In an electrically neutral atom, the number of protons equals the number of electrons.
  3. Isotopes of an element have the same number of protons but have different numbers of neutrons in their nuclei.
  4. The mass number is the sum of the numbers of protons and neutrons in the nucleus of an atom.

Key Takeaways

  • Each element is identified by its atomic number. The atomic number provides the element's location on the periodic table
  • The isotopes of an element have different masses and are identified by their mass numbers.

Contributors and Attributions

  • Anonymous

Learning Objectives

  • Explain what isotopes are and how an isotope affect an element's atomic mass.
  • Determine the number of protons, electrons, and neutrons of an element with a given mass number.

All atoms of the same element have the same number of protons, but some may have different numbers of neutrons. For example, all carbon atoms have six protons, and most have six neutrons as well. But some carbon atoms have seven or eight neutrons instead of the usual six. Atoms of the same element that differ in their numbers of neutrons are called isotopes. Many isotopes occur naturally. Usually one or two isotopes of an element are the most stable and common. Different isotopes of an element generally have the same physical and chemical properties. That's because they have the same numbers of protons and electrons.

An Example: Hydrogen Isotopes

Hydrogen is an example of an element that has isotopes. Three isotopes of hydrogen are modeled in Figure (PageIndex{1}). Most hydrogen atoms have just one proton and one electron and lack a neutron. These atoms are just called hydrogen. Some hydrogen atoms have one neutron as well. These atoms are the isotope named deuterium. Other hydrogen atoms have two neutrons. These atoms are the isotope named tritium.

For most elements other than hydrogen, isotopes are named for their mass number. For example, carbon atoms with the usual 6 neutrons have a mass number of 12 (6 protons + 6 neutrons = 12), so they are called carbon-12. Carbon atoms with 7 neutrons have atomic mass of 13 (6 protons + 7 neutrons = 13). These atoms are the isotope called carbon-13.

Example (PageIndex{1}): Lithium Isotopes

  1. What is the atomic number and the mass number of an isotope of lithium containing 3 neutrons.
  2. What is the atomic number and the mass number of an isotope of lithium containing 4 neutrons?

SOLUTION

A lithium atom contains 3 protons in its nucleus irrespective of the number of neutrons or electrons.

a.

[ begin{align}text{atomic number} = left( text{number of protons} right) &= 3 nonumber left( text{number of neutrons} right) &= 3 nonumberend{align} nonumber ]

[ begin{align} text{mass number} & = left( text{number of protons} right) + left( text{number of neutrons} right) nonumber text{mass number} & = 3 + 3 nonumber &= 6 nonumber end{align}nonumber]

b.

[ begin{align}text{atomic number} = left( text{number of protons} right) &= 3 nonumber left( text{number of neutrons} right) & = 4nonumberend{align}nonumber]

[ begin{align}text{mass number} & = left( text{number of protons} right) + left( text{number of neutrons} right)nonumber text{mass number} & = 3 + 4nonumber &= 7 nonumber end{align}nonumber]

Notice that because the lithium atom always has 3 protons, the atomic number for lithium is always 3. The mass number, however, is 6 in the isotope with 3 neutrons, and 7 in the isotope with 4 neutrons. In nature, only certain isotopes exist. For instance, lithium exists as an isotope with 3 neutrons, and as an isotope with 4 neutrons, but it doesn't exist as an isotope with 2 neutrons or as an isotope with 5 neutrons.

Stability of Isotopes

Atoms need a certain ratio of neutrons to protons to have a stable nucleus. Having too many or too few neutrons relative to protons results in an unstable, or radioactive, nucleus that will sooner or later break down to a more stable form. This process is called radioactive decay. Many isotopes have radioactive nuclei, and these isotopes are referred to as radioisotopes. When they decay, they release particles that may be harmful. This is why radioactive isotopes are dangerous and why working with them requires special suits for protection. The isotope of carbon known as carbon-14 is an example of a radioisotope. In contrast, the carbon isotopes called carbon-12 and carbon-13 are stable.

This whole discussion of isotopes brings us back to Dalton's Atomic Theory. According to Dalton, atoms of a given element are identical. But if atoms of a given element can have different numbers of neutrons, then they can have different masses as well! How did Dalton miss this? It turns out that elements found in nature exist as constant uniform mixtures of their naturally occurring isotopes. In other words, a piece of lithium always contains both types of naturally occurring lithium (the type with 3 neutrons and the type with 4 neutrons). Moreover, it always contains the two in the same relative amounts (or 'relative abundances'). In a chunk of lithium, (93%) will always be lithium with 4 neutrons, while the remaining (7%) will always be lithium with 3 neutrons.

Dalton always experimented with large chunks of an element - chunks that contained all of the naturally occurring isotopes of that element. As a result, when he performed his measurements, he was actually observing the averaged properties of all the different isotopes in the sample. For most of our purposes in chemistry, we will do the same thing and deal with the average mass of the atoms. Luckily, aside from having different masses, most other properties of different isotopes are similar.

There are two main ways in which scientists frequently show the mass number of an atom they are interested in. It is important to note that the mass number is not given on the periodic table. These two ways include writing a nuclear symbol or by giving the name of the element with the mass number written.

To write a nuclear symbol, the mass number is placed at the upper left (superscript) of the chemical symbol and the atomic number is placed at the lower left (subscript) of the symbol. The complete nuclear symbol for helium-4 is drawn below:

The following nuclear symbols are for a nickel nucleus with 31 neutrons and a uranium nucleus with 146 neutrons.

[ce{^{59}_{28}Ni}]

[ ce{ ^{238}_{92}U}]

In the nickel nucleus represented above, the atomic number 28 indicates the nucleus contains 28 protons, and therefore, it must contain 31 neutrons in order to have a mass number of 59. The uranium nucleus has 92 protons as do all uranium nuclei and this particular uranium nucleus has 146 neutrons.

Another way of representing isotopes is by adding a hyphen and the mass number to the chemical name or symbol. Thus the two nuclei would be Nickel-59 or Ni-59 and Uranium-238 or U-238, where 59 and 238 are the mass numbers of the two atoms, respectively. Note that the mass numbers (not the number of neutrons) are given to the side of the name.

Example (PageIndex{2}): POTASSIUM-40

How many protons, electrons, and neutrons are in an atom of (^{40}_{19}ce{K})?

SOLUTION

[text{atomic number} = left( text{number of protons} right) = 19]

For all atoms with no charge, the number of electrons is equal to the number of protons.

[text{number of electrons} = 19]

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Isotopes Have Different Numbers Of Neutrons

Isotopes Have Different Numbers Of

The mass number, 40 is the sum of the protons and the neutrons.

To find the number of neutrons, subtract the number of protons from the mass number.

[text{number of neutrons} = 40 - 19 = 21.]

Example (PageIndex{3}): Zinc-65

How many protons, electrons, and neutrons are in an atom of zinc-65?

SOLUTION

Bigasoft audio converter for mac. [text{number of protons} = 30]

For all atoms with no charge, the number of electrons is equal to the number of protons.

[text{number of electrons} = 30]

Isotopes Have Different Numbers Of Electrons

The mass number, 65 is the sum of the protons and the neutrons.

To find the number of neutrons, subtract the number of protons from the mass number.

Why Do Isotopes Have Different Numbers Of Neutrons

[text{number of neutrons} = 65 - 30 = 35]

Exercise (PageIndex{3})

How many protons, electrons, and neutrons are in each atom?

  1. (^{60}_{27}ce{Co})
  2. Na-24
  3. (^{45}_{20}ce{Ca})
  4. Sr-90
Answer a:
27 protons, 27 electrons, 33 neutrons
Answer b:
11 protons, 11 electrons, 13 neutrons
Answer c:
20 protons, 20 electrons, 25 neutrons
Answer d:
38 protons, 38 electrons, 52 neutrons

Summary

  • The number of protons is always the same in atoms of the same element.
  • The number of neutrons can be different, even in atoms of the same element.
  • Atoms of the same element, containing the same number of protons, but different numbers of neutrons, are known as isotopes.
  • Isotopes of any given element all contain the same number of protons, so they have the same atomic number (for example, the atomic number of helium is always 2).
  • Isotopes of a given element contain different numbers of neutrons, therefore, different isotopes have different mass numbers.

Isotopes Have Different Numbers Of Neutrons

Contributors

Isotopes Have Different Numbers Of What Subatomic Particle

  • CK-12 Foundation by Sharon Bewick, Richard Parsons, Therese Forsythe, Shonna Robinson, and Jean Dupon.

  • Marisa Alviar-Agnew (Sacramento City College)

  • Henry Agnew (UC Davis)